Parachute



Sept. 4, 1945. F BE 2,384,416

BARACHUIE Filed March 1'7, 1944 INVENTOR F. M.YDERRY BY 4 Fm.

ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 4, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PABACHUTE Frank M. Derry, Milsonla, Mont, dedicated to the free use of the People in the territory of the United States Application March 11, m4, scan, No. 526,954 3 Claims. (01. 244-152) (Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1 928; 370 O. G. 757) .granting of a patent to me.

This invention relates to a parachute, and has among its objects the provision of means to impart a forward motion to a parachute in descent, means for steering the parachute in its forward motion, whereby it is easier to maneuver it to a safe landing, means for slowing the rate of descent, means for decreasing the oscillation, and such other objects. as will be apparent from the following description, claims and annexed drawing, all of which objects are accomplished in a simple and inexpensive manner, the construction to obtain them being applicable to ordinary existing types of parachutes.

The single figure of the annexed drawing shows a standard type parachute having a canopy it, four riser assemblies ll, l2, l3, and I4, lfiSDfiC-r tively, attached to left and right front and left and right rear supporting straps l5, I8, i1, and I8 of the harness IS in the regular manner.

In carrying out the objects of this invention, the canopy is provided with radially extending slits 20 and 2| in panels 22 and 23. Preferably these slits are symmetrically positioned in reference to the aft center panel 2, and are so spaced as to extend at an acute angle relative 4 are so located that the slit in one panel is on the side of its shroud line opposite to the location of the slit in the other panelrelative to its shroud line. Guide lines 21 and 28 are attached at their upper ends to the canopy adjacent the outer ends of the slits and at their lower ends to the left and right front supporting straps l5 and i6, respectively, thus to be accessible to the parachutist.

In operation, descent of the parachute causes the air pressure to tend to open the slits. The parachutist can, however, control the extent of opening of both or either of the slits by pulling on the guide lines. The slits are, therefore, in eifect openings or valve means under control of the parachutist. Due to the aft position of the slits, the outrush of air through them imparts a lateral, forward motion in descent, and by changing the extent of opening of either slit in reference to the other, the direction of forward motion may be varied. In order to turn toward the right, for example, the parachutist simply pulls the right hand guide line 28 down, thus closing slit 2|. Air jetting out of silt 28 will turn the canopy to the right. Also, due to the off-center position of the slits, the outrush of air decreases the tendency of r the parachute to oscillate, thus rendering control of the direction of descent easier, and rendering the rate of descent slower,

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

l. A parachute comprising a canopy formed oi panels having shroud lines between the panels, two of said panels each having a radially extending slit located near a shroud line and each having a guide lineattached at its upper end to the canopy adjacent the outer end of the slit with the lower end of the guide line accessible to the parachutist, the slit in one panel being located on the side of its shroud line opposite to the loca- I tion of the slit in the other panel relative to its shroud line, whereby, upon descent of the parachute, air pressure will tend to open the slits by raising the edges of the material of the panels remote from the shroud lines and the air jetting out of each of the open slits will tend to turn the parachute in the direction opposite to that of the flow of jetting air, and whereby the parachutist may, by pulling on either of the guide lines, close the slit to which it is attached, leaving the other slit open, thus to turn the parachute in its descent.

2. The parachute as defined in claim 1, characterized in that the slits extend at an acute angle relative to each other, whereby opening of the slits imparts a lateral motion to the descending parachute.

3. The parachute as defined in claim 1, characterized in that the slits extend at an acute angle relative to each other and are located in the aft par of the canopy, whereby opening of the sfits imparts a forward motion to the descending parachute.

FRANK M. DERBY. 

